Violators of triple lockdown norms, which will be in effect in Ernakulam till May 23 night, will be penalised under provisions of the Disaster Management Act, says an official press release.
Shops selling provisions, vegetables, fruits, meat and fish will remain open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Home delivery must be optimally relied on for sourcing these items, if need be by utilising service of ward-level volunteers.
Likewise, banks will function from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with minimal workforce.
Hotels can do home delivery of food items from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Customers will not be able to fetch parcels directly from hotels. Wayside selling of items has been banned. Delivery of milk and newspapers must be done before 8 a.m. Milk procurement can be done up to 2 p.m.
Ration, public distribution, Maveli and Supplyco outlets are permitted to remain open till 5 p.m. every day while retail fuel outlets, medical labs and medical shops can operate as per their normal timings. Personnel employed by e-commerce portals to deliver essentials can do so from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Home nurses and maids must procure online pass.
Wholesale trading at fishing harbours has been permitted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Auction will not be permitted. Electricians, plumbers and telecom workers who have to attend emergency services must carry valid ID proof.
Weddings and other events must be postponed. Those which were fixed well in advance can be hosted with maximum 20 people in attendance. Permission for marriage and death-related functions must be sought after registration on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal.
Pre-monsoon cleaning of drains and public spaces can be held as per COVID-19 protocol, having a maximum of five people at a work site. Contractors must not transport workers from outside the district to any site.
None will be permitted entry or exit from containment zones. Construction workers must reside at the same work site. All district boundaries will be closed and only goods carriers and essential services will be permitted to proceed.
Drones would be deployed to step up surveillance in the jurisdiction of each police station while a total of 2,000 police personnel would enforce triple lockdown norms in Ernakulam Rural, said K. Karthick, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural).
Surveillance will be more intense in areas where COVID-19 cases were reported in large numbers. More patrol teams will be deployed to keep track of rule violators. Those who overlook quarantine norms will be dealt with sternly.
